


Love Walks In

by ScarletWinter2478



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: F/M, Love at First Sight, Romance, True Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-13
Updated: 2017-07-13
Packaged: 2018-12-01 17:42:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,708
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11491395
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ScarletWinter2478/pseuds/ScarletWinter2478
Summary: A forbidden love, a love that can never be. He knew the rules, he knew how it would all turn out, how it would end. James "Bucky" Barnes believed that it was his fate to be alone; until he met Belle and all the rules changed.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> A short little "writing challenge" story. I hope you enjoy it!

 

Prologue  


I wasn’t planning on this. Falling in love with you was the last thing I wanted; because I knew our time would have to come to an end. Yet here I am, begging you not to turn the page… I had been watching you for several days. Watching, NOT stalking… although I suppose technically they are nearly one and the same. Your schedule was unpredictable and I could never be certain of your comings and goings. I watched you, not because I had any intentions of harming you; but because the first time I saw you, I was captured by your smile. A smile that hadn’t even been directed at me; yet I saw that it was beautiful, genuine; and it moved me to my very core. I only wanted to know more about you, what made you tick, what made you laugh, what made you cry and what made you happy. Most importantly, what a man must do to earn your favor.

I wasn’t planning on this. Falling in love with you was the last thing I wanted.


	2. Taking the Chance

 

Belle stepped outside with her laundry basket. The heat was oppressive; 86 degrees should not feel this hot she mused, and then she remembered the humidity was a ridiculous 71 per cent. The forecast was calling for thunderstorms later, but right now, it was still sunny and freaking hot! She normally wouldn’t hang her clothes outside to dry, but she had spilled a full glass of Orange soda on her favorite pair of jeans and she didn’t want them to stain. Washing them right away, she decided she would give her electric bill a tiny break by hanging them out to dry. She was one of few people in her neighborhood that still had, and occasionally used the clothes line in her back yard. It stretched from her porch to a large post that also served as one of five pillars of the small gazebo towards the back of her property.

As she pulled items from the basket she sang softly, arranging them on the line so that they would get the most sun possible. She was banking on them drying quickly, before the storm arrived; although the air was already so wet it almost hurt to breathe it in. As she made her way from the side of the porch towards the gazebo, she had a disturbing sense that she was being watched. She looked down at her basket; almost empty now, and grabbed the last couple of pairs of jean shorts from the bottom, quickly pinning them to the line.

Taking a deep breath, she let her eyes roam across the large yard, taking in every corner. A slight breeze chose that moment to sweep across her body, cooling the trickles of sweat that had risen there.   Goose bumps covered her skin and she couldn’t shake the feeling that someone was near.   Grabbing the shovel that leaned against the fence where she had turned over dirt to plant a few tomatoes, Belle cautiously walked to the back of the gazebo and circled around it, back to the spot where she had started. Nothing. Nobody. Strange.

 

Bucky had been watching her from his roost inside the gazebo. When she had stepped outside with the laundry basket, he immediately looked to see where the line ended, and knew he might be in trouble. He watched as she started hanging clothes, nearest the house first. The basket didn’t look overly full, so he might be safe. Unless of course she decided to take a break from the sun and pop inside the gazebo when she neared that end. He couldn’t chance it, and besides he was thirsty for something besides the tepid water out of her garden hose. A stroke of luck for him that she was facing away from her house as she worked; he timed his exit carefully, stealthily making his way behind her to the porch.

He knew he was taking a huge risk, but he needed to get out of the heat for few minutes, maybe pilfer a bite of food and something cold to drink. As he entered the house into the kitchen, two things hit him in the face. First, the rush of cool air; he had been hot for so long it felt like he had entered the arctic. And then, the smell of food that was intoxicating. She had prepared some spicy meat dish along with rice and beans. Added to that was the delightful aroma of a recently baked treat, flavored with cinnamon and sugar; the smell making his empty stomach growl, as in his mind he already tasted the delicacies before him. Knowing that he had to hurry, he opened a cupboard and grabbed a medium sized plastic bowl, throwing in portions of each of the spicy foods, topping the bowl off with a couple of handfuls of chips that were sitting on the counter. Then he looked on the table and saw the cinnamon rolls, grabbing one, he stuffed the whole thing in his mouth, groaning with pleasure at the taste. He opened the refrigerator and pulled out two bottles of water and closed it, thinking he should leave…  


Belle stood frozen, watching this stranger who had walked uninvited into her home and was apparently, quite hungry. He was a good sized man, at least six feet, broad shoulders, thick arms and thighs, with long brown hair and, as he stared at her in surprise, she could not help but appreciate his striking blue eyes. Neither of them spoke as the seconds ticked by. She was debating whether to make a run for it, pick up the broom and clobber him with it, (probably not a good choice), or scream like a mad woman hoping someone would hear and come to her aid (also not a good choice considering that most of her neighbors would be tucked away inside their air conditioned homes with windows closed up tight and shades drawn to keep the sun out. Pretty slim chance that anyone would hear her.

Bucky set the bowl and the bottles of water on the small kitchen table, moving slowly, hoping not to frighten her into doing something that he would be forced to make her stop. He held his arms up slightly, hands open wide so she could see he wasn’t holding a weapon of any kind. He could see that she was breathing hard as her chest rose and fell in an unnatural rhythm, her bright blue eyes never leaving his. Moving slowly, he reached for one of the bottles, asking softly, “May I drink please?”

Belle looked at his gloved hand, slightly confused by it, then back into his eyes and nodded. He removed the lid and put the bottle to his lips, chugging down the whole thing without stopping. She could see the relief wash over his face as she watched him, and against her better judgment, she could feel herself begin to relax.

“So, what now?” she asked, afraid of what his answer might be.

Looking almost embarrassed he shook his head saying, “I don’t know. I’m not going to hurt you, I promise you that…I really just wanted a cold drink and then the food smelled so good and it’s been a couple of days … I’m sorry.”

She nodded her head, her eyes still locked onto his. She was not one to normally take chances; she had watched too many episodes of Criminal Minds and Forensic Files to trust strangers to any degree; but she could tell he was being very careful to not frighten her any more than she already was; she felt certain a killer wouldn’t care how afraid she was.

“Please, take all the food and water you need, and go. I won’t call the police,” she sounded nervous, but not as much as he would have expected. He figured he looked pretty frightening at the moment; bruised, dirty, wearing several layers of clothing in the midst of summer. He was a stranger who had barged into her home and still, she was offering him a way out. He was somewhat surprised. Times were hard and often scary. In his roaming from place to place, he hadn’t run across too many people willing to take the chance on a stranger. It was a good deal, and he knew he should take it. The only thing stopping him was her. The longer he watched her, the more he was drawn to her.

Trying to stall, he asked, “Do you have something else I can put this in, something that I can take with me?”

Looking at the scarred Tupperware bowl, and wondering how many years she’d had it, she couldn’t help but feel a pang of compassion for this man.

“Why… why don’t you just sit down at the table and eat? It would be easier and…”

Bucky stared at her, suddenly suspicious, “Why would you suggest that? Are you expecting someone else to come barging in and rescue you? Is that what this is all about?”

His voice was harsh and his eyes had gone cold. He chastised himself for thinking that she might be different than everyone else, until he noticed her expression. She looked hurt.

“No,’’ she said softly, “No one is coming. I wouldn’t try to trick you like that. I just thought, I thought if … sorry.” Belle couldn’t believe she actually told him that she was alone and that no one would be coming. What was she thinking?? All at once she was hit with a wave of light headedness, and her heart was pounding hard in her chest.

Seeing her expression change from compassion to fear made him feel like an ass. And she had gone so pale, he thought she might faint. Taking two long strides, he stood in front of her, placing his hands on her shoulders he looked into her eyes.

“Are you okay? Do you need to sit down?” he asked, and although it was highly doubtful, Belle thought she actually heard concern in his voice. She would have to think about that later, because right now, her vision was narrowing from a white circle into a black hole, with bright specks of ‘stars’ scattered about. She reached out to hold onto him, but her hand barely grazed his shoulder before her eyes closed and she slumped into his chest.

“Oh, damn!...” Bucky lifted her in his arms and carried her to the living room, gently laying her on the couch. Looking around, he spotted the small half bath where he quickly found a washcloth, running cold water over it to place on her forehead. After just a little while, he could see some color returning to her cheeks and she tried to raise her hand to her face.

“Here,” he spoke softly, “let me do it.” He removed the cloth from her forehead, flipping it over to dab the cool side on her cheeks and neck. She slowly opened her eyes and he smiled, asking “Better?”

Belle couldn’t help but smile back at him. Under all that long hair and scruffy beard, there was a very handsome face. Chiseled jaw, long lashes that shaded the most exquisite blue eyes she had ever seen and a smile that she could grow to love… under different circumstances, of course.

She tried to sit up and again, he put his hand on her arm saying, “Take it easy. Don’t move too fast.”  

Nodding in agreement, she allowed him to help her sit up slowly and then lean back into the couch. When he continued to stare at her with genuine concern in his eyes, she nodded and said, “I’m okay. I think, I forgot to take my blood pressure medicine today. And yesterday. Possibly the day before that…”

Shaking his head, he scolded her softly, “It won’t do you any good if you don’t take it.” He smiled again and her heart skipped a beat. She knew, she KNEW it was crazy; SHE was crazy, but she couldn’t help but feel a genuine attraction to this man. Trying to gather her thoughts, she asked him if he would bring her a bottle of water.

“Of course,” he replied so matter of factly, it felt as if he belonged there. It felt like he BELONGED there? She was really going off the deep end now.

Bucky got up and went to the kitchen; returning with a bottle of water and a prescription bottle he had spotted on the counter. “Is this the pill you should be taking?”

Holding it out to her, she smiled sheepishly, nodding her head. She shook a pill out into her hand and swallowed it down with some of the water. “Thank you,” she practically whispered.

Meanwhile, Bucky was having an internal battle of his own. This was not the plan. Sneak in, grab some food and water…leave. THAT was the plan. Now here he was playing doctor and wondering what her lips tasted like.

“I’m Belle,” she spoke shyly, holding her hand out to him.

He looked at it for a moment then took it in his own as he sighed deeply saying, “I’m Bucky.”  

From the look on her face, he could see that she had suddenly recognized him, probably from some news report that had branded him a dangerous criminal; which was, sadly, sometimes true. Figuring this was the point where she would freak out, he backed away saying, “I’ll just go now. OK?”

“No.”

“Look, I’m sure you don’t want me here now. And I know I shouldn’t be here, so...”

“Take off your jacket,” she spoke firmly.

“What? Why?” he wondered out loud.

Belle stood and reached out to push his open jacket out of the way, where a rather large blood stain was visible on his shirt.

“I’m a nurse. Let me help you.” She spoke with such calm determination; Bucky raised his brow and did as he was told.

“Now this,” she insisted as he started to shake his head. “I can’t look at it if you don’t take your shirt off.”

“It’s really not necessary,” he held back his smile as she gave him a look that she probably used on belligerent patients.

“Ok, ok…” he unbuttoned his shirt, pulling it off and then shaking his head, he pulled off both of the t-shirts that he wore.

“Sit,” she told him as she patted the arm of the couch. Again doing as he was told, Bucky sat and before she asked, he lifted his right arm so she could see the afflicted area. She looked at the bruised, slightly puckered skin, then up at his face, and back again to his side. She ran her fingers around the freshly forming scar and he flinched, more from her unexpected touch than any pain.

Pulling her hand back, her lips slightly parted in understandable confusion, she asked, “How? I thought…you were injured…”

He took her hand and placed it back on the spot where he had suffered a stab wound less than a week previous, (he suspected **that** had been in the news) telling her, “I heal rather quickly, as you can see.”

“Oh my God!” she looked at the scar again and shook her head in amazement. Of course she had heard the stories about Capt. America and his ability to heal quickly, but this… this was… At that moment, from somewhere deep in his stomach a vicious growl emerged. Belle’s eyes grew big and she laughed … “I’m so sorry. You really are hungry… Please, have a seat at the table. Let me fix a plate for you.”

Feeling somewhat confused, but enjoying being the center of attention without guns and fists being involved for a change, he smiled and pulling on one of his t-shirts, he walked to the table and had a seat.   Belle spoke to him over her shoulder as she warmed up some of the food he had dumped in the bowl.

“I’ve read about you and Steve Rogers and all that the two of you have been through. I am so sorry for what those awful people did to you. And I don’t feel that you should be held accountable for doing things that you had no control over. I can’t imagine why they believe that you are the bad guy here or how they think you could have controlled or should be responsible for your actions while you were essentially another person all together. Not that it really matters what I think, I guess…”

She carried a plate from the microwave and set it down in front of him, then grabbed a fork from the caddy on the counter next to the sink. He was watching her intently as she handed it him.

“Would you like some tea, or water, or a soda maybe?”

“Tea please,” he answered, still unable to take his eyes off of her. She was lovely. Even with her hair in a messy pile on her head, the ends damp from her time working out in the heat; he could see that it was a rich shade of blonde, long and thick; her checks a rosy hue, her lips an enticing soft pink and her eyes were a sparkling blue.

Belle had retrieved a tall glass from the cabinet, filled it with ice and was pouring tea into it. Her mind was racing so fast, she couldn’t even try to make sense of it.   She poured herself a glass of ice water and joined him at the table.

“Aren’t you going to eat anything?” he asked, hesitating to pick up his fork.

“No… I’ll just have a roll in a minute or two. You go ahead, please.”

Bucky thought he was probably the reason she had no appetite, and he was sorry for that, but he couldn’t hold back any longer as he dug into the food set before him, groaning with delight. He cleaned his plate in no time and when Belle asked him if wanted more, he nodded vigorously. Smiling, she took his plate and filled it again, grabbing a cinnamon roll for herself, picking at it as she watched him eat. When he finished his second helping he asked if he could have a roll and she moved the pan over and set it in front of him. He laughed and proceeded to eat half a dozen of them.

Finally, he felt full and pushed himself away from the table. Instead of getting up to leave, as Belle had expected him to, he leaned back and grinned at her.

“Thank you, Belle. That was the best meal I’ve had in… gosh.. forever it seems.”

“Oh.. it.. uh, you’re welcome.” She wanted to add that he could take the rest with him when he left, but something made her hold her tongue and she just smiled at him. Somewhere in the back of her mind lingered the unreasonable thought that she didn’t want him to leave, not yet. They sat there in silence for several minutes before Bucky spoke.

“I didn’t do everything they say I did. I did a LOT of it, but not all of it. I hope you aren’t being so kind because you are afraid of me. I really have no intention of hurting you. I don’t do that, unless…” he stopped there, embarrassed to go on.

“I understand,” she spoke softly as she reached out to put her hand on his. “And yes, I was afraid at first, but when you told me you wouldn’t hurt me, I believed you. I don’t know why, I just did.”

Bucky looked at her hand resting on his. He was so moved by that simple act of humanity that he didn’t trust himself to say anything. After a few minutes, Belle began questioning him about his metal arm and HYDRA and Steve Rogers and… it almost felt like he was back home in Brooklyn, sitting at the table with his sister, sharing stories like normal people did. Well, not quite like being with his sister. He was certainly not having brotherly thoughts about Belle. Her voice was soft and a tad bit husky, hypnotic; and his eyes kept roaming over her body, then returning to gaze hungrily at her lips.

Belle tried to pretend she didn’t notice the way he was looking at her. She had broken up with her long time boyfriend several months before and no one had looked at her like this sense then. She felt a stirring deep inside that she hadn’t known she was missing, at least until now. Sitting at the table for nearly an hour, they learned many things about each other, and about themselves. Belle was just about to suggest they move to the living room to be more comfortable, when a huge clap of thunder rattled the windows making her gasp.

Suddenly she jumped up and said, “My laundry! Can I go get it off the line?”

“Of course, I’ll help,” Bucky rose and followed her outside. He held the basket while she started pulling the pins and dropping clothes in it. Another boom of thunder brought a yelp from her that made him smile. They were halfway down the line when the skies opened, releasing a deluge of cold water to rain down on them. They both stopped and looked up to study the sky. After the initial shock at how cold it was, it actually felt pretty damn good. He watched Belle; her head tilted back, mouth open, trying to capture some of the droplets that pounded her face, making her giggle with joy. He felt something deep inside at the sight of her; she was beautiful and kind and he longed to hold her in his arms. He looked away when she turned towards him, afraid she would be able to see his feelings on his face.

Throwing the last item in the basket, Belle grabbed his arm saying, “Let’s get inside!!” Back in the kitchen, she wrung water from her hair into the sink and laughed at Bucky (hair dripping, shirt clinging to his broad chest, pants clinging… well, he was quite a sight) saying “Let me take these down to the dryer and I’ll bring some towels up with me.” He handed her the basket, then stooped down to unlace his boots and pull them off. He didn’t want to track any more mud in her house than he already had.

When she walked back into the kitchen, he was standing there, no shirt, no shoes, hair hanging in strings around his face… he looked like a wild animal. A strong, gorgeous, virile animal. It hit her like a rock just how badly she wanted him. Sucking in a deep breath she pulled a towel out of the basket and tossed it to him. He went to work on his hair while she started on her own.

“Crap,” he said softly.

“Is something wrong?” she asked him, enjoying the display of his rippling muscles.

Huffing out a loud sigh, he told her, “I know this is going to sound completely absurd, given the situation, but is it okay if I take a shower? I have several days of grime on me and all I’m doing is ruining your towel.”

Belle gulped, but managed to answer him calmly, “uhhh… yes, of course you can. Let me show you where everything is.”

The house Belle lived in was an older home in an older neighborhood. However, the previous owners had been huge fans of home ‘makeover’ shows, which prompted them to upgrade nearly every room in the house, just to see how it would look. As a result, her bathroom was somewhat spa-like, even though it was pretty small. Pointing out the shampoo and soap, she realized that she needed to run back down to the laundry room and bring up more towels.  

“You go ahead and get started,” she said as she kept avoiding eye contact with him, “I’ll just drop a couple of them on the rack and leave you to it.”

Holding back the knowing grin he felt rising, along with other things, Bucky simply said “Thank you” and reached around the glass door to turn the water on. Belle kept standing there for a long moment until he cleared his throat, signaling that the water was hot and he was ready to ‘get naked’. Lifting his brows he smirked at her and she blushed hotly, mumbling something unintelligible as she left the room.  


Stopping just outside the bathroom door, Belle leaned against the wall, eyes closed, gritting her teeth. What the hell is wrong with me? She wondered not for the first time sense this whole thing began. Why am I treating him like a guest? Why don’t I want him to leave? The longer he stayed, the more she wanted him to; the more she wanted HIM. The a/c came on then, cold air washing over her from the vent just above, making her shiver uncontrollably in her wet clothes. Nodding to herself she decided she would run back to the basement, grab the load of towels and drop a couple off for Bucky, then go to her room and change into something dry. Short plan, but something she could wrap her mind around. Hearing the shower door click shut, she set off on her mission.

Bucky scrubbed and rinsed his hair and his body, then scrubbed and rinsed again, washing away the dirt and grime, feeling his muscles relax under the spray of hot water. He chewed on his lip as he bowed his head, considering his options. He had gotten into this situation by allowing himself a few days to lay low and heal up, passing the time by keeping an eye on Belle, (NOT stalking her). It was just something to keep his mind occupied, nothing more. Only now it felt like more. It felt like much, much more. It was clear to see that she was attracted to him, and she WAS a fully grown, amazingly beautiful, sexy woman, perfectly capable of making her own decisions. He would not force her into anything, but he certainly **wouldn’t** turn her away. That was of course, if he wasn’t just seeing what he wanted to see in her eyes. Assuming that she wanted him, that she… all of a sudden he sensed her presence in the room.

Raising his head and turning slowly towards the door, Bucky saw her through the top part of the shower enclosure; the lower half was frosted and gradually cleared as it neared the top to allow the user some privacy. As he watched her, he could see she was struggling with her emotions. She held a couple of towels in her hand; all she needed to do was hang them somewhere and leave; then he would know.

Belle was once again frozen in place; mesmerized by the sight of him, or at least as much as she could see. Her heart was beating so hard she could hear her blood pulsing in her ears. She wanted to close he eyes, but she couldn’t. The two of them stayed motionless for what felt like a lifetime; she couldn’t move and he wouldn’t unless she did. Finally, Belle willed herself to smile sheepishly and raising the towels in her hand slightly, she pointed at them and then at the end of the vanity, walking towards the shower to place them there, where they would be easier to reach.

Just as she was laying them down, the shower door clicked open, Bucky stepped close to the opening and spoke to her softly, his voice sounded slightly gravelly and fully seductive, “Belle, do you need something?” There was an unmistakable twinkle in his eyes; and she couldn’t miss the double entendre; making her quickly look away. Although she DID look away, it took her too long to move; he opened the door wide, reaching out to take her by the wrist. Looking at his hand on her arm she felt her resolve melting.

“Belle?” It was a question…one that only she could answer. He gave her wrist a miniscule tug and looking into his eyes, she allowed him to draw her nearer and nearer, until she stepped into the shower with him. The hot water immediately soaking her as he pulled her into his arms, his lips finding hers, covering them with hungry kisses. He held her close, and although she was receptive, he could feel that she was still uncertain. Moving his lips to her ear he whispered, “Do you want me to stop?” even as his hands found their way to her hips, pulling her closer, his mouth moved to her neck to place a lingering kiss there.

“Yes,” she whispered back.

Bucky stopped what he was doing, pulling his head back to look in her eyes. Somehow, that was not the answer he had expected. He didn’t want to let go of her, but if she really didn’t want this … Belle was torn, as she gazed back at him; breathing hard, she knew he would do whatever she decided. Suddenly she felt certain that for once in her life, she should take the chance, risk the unknown, and go for it. Putting her hands on his face she shook her head saying, “I mean, no. Please don’t stop…”

He drew her close again, only this time she kissed him with equal fervor. He held the back of her neck, moving her to the corner of the shower to keep the water from pelting her in the face as his other hand moved to her lower back, pulling her tightly to him. Her hands found his hair, his rock hard shoulders, explored the muscles that rippled down his back. Their tongues tangled as they continued to kiss with a fiery passion that neither had felt for a long time. Leaning back slightly, Belle reached down and grabbed the bottom of her t-shirt, slowly pulling it up, grabbing the bottom edge of her bra as she lifted them both up and over her head.

Bucky smiled and lifted her to stand on the marble ledge built into the shower; then cupped her breast in his hand, kissing it softly, kneading and massaging gently, grinning as she moaned and her nipple grew firm in his mouth. She buried her hands in his hair as his mouth moved to her stomach and down to her waist, where he stopped to unbutton her shorts and slid them along with her panties, down over hips, letting them fall to the floor. Belle wrapped her legs around his waist and he, not willing to take his mouth from her body, slapped blindly at the shower wall, trying to stop the water. She giggled as he missed again and again, his attention wrapped up in her and getting them out the door and to the bedroom.

“Fuck,” he whispered as he missed yet again. Belle tugged gently on his hair, grinning at him as he looked at her, she said, “Hold on,” then she reached out and tapped the control that stopped the water immediately. She unhooked her legs from his waist, sliding down to stand in front of him, then opened the shower door, grabbing a towel for herself and tossing one to him. With a smirk she said, “Let’s be adults about this, shall we?” She took a brief moment to pat her face and arms and legs with the towel, before she bit her lower lip with a glimmer in her eyes and declared, “Last one there’s a rotten egg!!” as she darted out the bathroom door and across the hall to her bedroom, Bucky growling, in hot pursuit.

Belle threw herself onto the bed scuttling to the head, laughing hard, as Bucky perched himself at the end of the bed, eyeing her intensely. With no warning, he grabbed her ankles and pulled her down the bed so she was lying flat; then slowly he crawled, as if stalking his prey, until his chest hovered over hers. She held her breath in anticipation of what he would do next. He lowered his head, slowly burying his face in her neck, nibbling gently, and then he smiled at her with a wicked gleam in his eyes before he began tickling her mercilessly.    

         

Belle squealed and laughed and pleaded with him, then squealed some more, trying desperately to grab his hands and make him stop. He was much too fast, much too strong and enjoying her delight far too much to stop until she tried pushing on his chest and her attention was drawn to his shoulder and the scars where the metal arm was attached. She touched them so tenderly it sent a shiver up his spine. Looking up into his eyes she put her arms around his neck and pulled him down to capture his lips with hers, kissing him gently, lovingly, until the fire between them was ignited again.

Looking deep into her eyes, Bucky asked “Are you sure?” and Belle smiled as she reached between them and touched him, softly at first, then with more purpose, getting the result she was after almost immediately. He whispered something in her ear that she didn’t understand; he spoke in Russian. Soon, it didn’t matter what he had said, as his hands and lips and tongue touched nearly every part of her body, bringing her to the edge again and again. Finally he pulled her legs around his waist to bring them both to the pleasure of release and ultimate satisfaction.

They stayed in bed for hours, laughing, playing, making love; neither of them letting the thought of where this was going enter their minds. Sometime near midnight, Belle said “I’m hungry!!” and jumped up, walking to her closet and pulling out a lightweight robe; she tied it loosely around her. Bucky watched her as she looked in the mirror, shaking her head and running her fingers through her hair, which was truly a mess. She turned to look at him and he spoke softly, “You are beautiful.”

“Right,” she replied with a smirk on her face.

“You are. Don’t argue with me about this. You will lose”

Belle snorted, saying, “I must find food,” as she walked out the door.

Bucky sighed deeply as he watched her go and smiled as he heard her rummaging in the kitchen, singing rather loudly as she ‘found something to eat’. He stared at the ceiling believing that, in that moment, he was happier than he had been in his whole life. Yet at the same time, he could feel it, almost see the darkness encroaching on his joy. Why must it be this way? What great wrong had he done in some other life to bring this on himself? What did he have to do to stop this cycle of pain and destruction, interspersed with brief moments of peace? And what had led him to this place and this woman? He felt his heart breaking already at the thought of leaving her; but what choice did he have?

Belle appeared in the doorway, holding a large bowl of cleaned strawberries in one hand and a can of whip cream in the other. Smiling seductively she asked, “Want some?” He laughed softly and answered, “I believe I do.” She shook the can, held it over her mouth and pressed the nozzle, filling it with the sweet fluff, raising her brows at him.   Bucky laughed out loud now, and stood to meet her half way, kissing her, using his tongue to steal as much of the cream as he could. They moved to the bed, where they fed each other the ripe red berries topped with whip cream until the bowl was empty. She went to the bathroom to wash the sticky remains from her hands and rinse her mouth out, taking gulps of water from the sink. She returned to see him holding the can, with a smirk on his face.

“There’s still a little left” he teased, shaking the can at her.

“You can have it” she smiled sweetly at him.

“Oh, I intend to,” he said from under hooded eyes, his intentions written clearly on his face…

 


	3. Is This the End?

 

 

Several hours later, Belle slept with her leg thrown over Bucky’s, her head on his shoulder, hand resting on his chest. Bucky, normally a light sleeper was well into a deep sleep, dreaming of his youth and the way things used to be. He and Steve hanging out, growing up best friends, sticking together whatever happened. But something was different in this dream…Belle was there and he dreamed of holding her in his arms, moving with her across the dance floor; he could picture her smiling up at him, before placing her head on his shoulder, arms around his waist, leaning in to him as he lowered his head for a kiss…

 

Awakened by the phone ringing, it took him a moment to remember where he was, until he saw her sitting on the edge of the bed. She looked over her shoulder at him, smiling while she continued her conversation. It must have been a friend, wanting her to join them for some outing or other. Belle politely refused, again and again, but the friend didn’t seem to want to take no for an answer. Moving closer to her, Bucky started nibbling on her neck, licking behind her ear and kissing her jaw then whispering in her ear, again in Russian. She didn’t know what he was saying, but she could certainly feel what he was doing. Arching her back, she was unable to hold in her moan, and then remembered she was on the phone. Her friend had grown quiet, listening, then said… “uhhhh…sorry… talk to you later,” hanging up with a giggle and leaving Belle with a blush spreading across her face. She was going to have some explaining to do the next time they were together…

 

Bucky and Belle spent that day together, never leaving the house. They talked and laughed and cuddled up while watching several old movies on television. That evening, they took a walk over to a nearby pocket park; nothing fancy, just an area a couple of blocks long and half a block wide that her neighborhood HOA kept cleared of weeds, and the lawn mowed; they had set up a couple of shelter houses and swing sets, the whole thing encircled by a narrow asphalt path. The real attraction for Belle was the small creek that ran through the center of the park, drawing birds and rabbits and other animals in need of shade and water.

They had brought a large blanket and a small basket full of fruits and cheeses along with several bottles of water. They sat under the shade of an Oak tree, watching the stream and a family of rabbits gathered nearby. Bucky stretched out on the blanket, his eyes on Belle who was smiling softly as she kept track of the baby bunnies hopping to and fro, never getting far from mama rabbit.

“I could stay here,” he mused to himself. “I could have my happily ever after, right here with Belle. I could…” he stopped his daydreaming as she turned to look at him, her hair loose and falling to tickle his face as she leaned over him.

“What are you thinking about?” she asked him, running her fingers through his hair.

“You,” he answered truthfully as he reached up to pull her alongside, leaning over her, kissing her lips so tenderly, Belle pulled away and asked, “What’s wrong?’

“Nothing!” he half laughed as he looked into her eyes.

“No... really Bucky. What is it? What’s wrong?”

“Wrong? Why do you think something is wrong?” he asked, somewhat surprised that she could already tell so easily that he was lying. He sat up, taking her hand and tried to figure out how to explain to her all that was going on in his mind. But how? How did he tell her their time was almost over? He didn’t want it to be over, and he didn’t think that she did either.

“Belle, I…” he stopped mid sentence. “..I just want to thank you for this. All of this, all that you’ve done for me.”

She looked at him so oddly, he knew he had said something wrong.

Sitting up and moving slightly away from him, she asked “Thank me? For? What? Feeding you? Sleeping with you? Are they on the same shelf as far as you are concerned? Do you think I hand out sex to any poor soul who comes along?”

Oh Fuck! He ground his teeth, thinking to himself that he had just stepped in it.

“No! Of course not! That’s not what I meant, not at all. Belle, please… don’t make this harder than it already is.” Damn!!! He was saying everything he knew he shouldn’t.

Fighting back tears that suddenly threatened to get the best of her; Belle took a deep breath and calmly asked him, “What are you talking about?” She didn’t want to argue with him. In fact, she couldn’t blame him for thinking that she gave herself to perfect strangers on a regular basis. What had she done to prove that idea wrong? But he was different… surely he knew that? He had to know that something special had happened between them... he had to KNOW that, right?

Bucky was looking off in the distance, as if searching to find the answer that she wanted, that she **needed** to hear **.** In the end, all he had was the truth. Turning to face her again, he touched her cheek and kissed her softly on the lips.

“You know I can’t stay here. I don’t even know if you want me to, but I have to be honest with you and myself and admit that it can’t happen. You are a wonderful, kind, caring woman. You took me in when you had every right to call the cops. You offered to tend to my wounds, you fed me and you shared your heart and soul with me. I can’t tell you how overwhelmed I am by that. I could never think of you as anything less than perfect, absolutely perfect. And that’s why I have to go. You deserve so much more than me. I can’t be that man. I can’t …I can’t stay here and put you in danger.”

Tears were streaming down her face now, and she tried to speak, but he put his fingers to her lips, shaking his head. He wanted her to stop him, even while he wouldn’t let her do it. He knew, he knew if she said the words, if she asked him to stay, he wouldn’t be able to leave.

“Belle, I’m sorry. I never meant to hurt you. I never meant to get you involved in my cesspool of a life.   I never meant to fall in love with you.”

There, the words were out there. The ball was in her court, the next move was hers.

Belle stood and reached her hand down to him. Bucky rose to his feet, his face the picture of sadness and doubt and worry. She moved the basket out of the way, pulled the blanket from the ground, folding it as he stood and watched, waiting for her to say something. She handed the basket to him and took him by the arm, saying nothing as they walked back to her house.

Once inside, she put things away as he watched, helpless, not knowing what to say. Figuring she was working up the words to tell him to get out, he started gathering up the clothes she had washed for him, rolling them up and stuffing them in his well worn backpack. When he finished, he turned to her, not wanting to walk out without saying something.

Belle surprised him by moving to stand in front of him, taking the backpack from him, dropping it to the floor. She put her hands on the back of his neck, looking deeply into his eyes, she finally spoke.

“James Buchanan Barnes… Bucky. You aren’t going anywhere. You aren’t leaving me. You know why? I’ll tell you why. You aren’t leaving, because you don’t want to; and because I don’t want you to go. You aren’t leaving, because you see how good we are together. You aren’t leaving because you love me and we belong together. You aren’t leaving because I love you and I won’t let you go. Whatever comes, we will figure it out, together; me and you. Got it?”

For the first time in more years than he could count, Bucky felt tears in his eyes. He pulled her close, kissing her with a passion for the ages, taking her breath away. He smiled and whispered in her ear, something in Russian.

“You know, you are going to have to teach me what those words mean.”

Giving her a wolfish grin, his eyes flashed as he said, “Trust me, you already know…”


	4. Epilogue

 

That was seven weeks ago. Seven weeks filled with laughter, with love, with the peace I have sought for more years than you have been alive. I called Steve to tell him where I am, that I am ok; better than ok. He seems hopeful that he will be able to work out something with the DOD or the DOJ or one of those lettered agencies; make some kind of deal that will get me off the proverbial “hook”. In the meantime, every single day I spend with you, is the best day of my life. Every moment we share, is another mark that blots out a pain from my past.

I wasn’t planning on this. Falling in love with you was the last thing I wanted. How wonderful that the plans of man are so often torn asunder. How amazing that love can conquer where men fail. I’m so thankful that you didn’t turn the page…

 

The End


End file.
